Heathmont College

Heathmont College
Address
Waters Grove
Heathmont, Victoria, 3135
Australia
Coordinates 37°50′16″S 145°13′59″E / 37.83778°S 145.23306°E / -37.83778; 145.23306Coordinates: 37°50′16″S 145°13′59″E / 37.83778°S 145.23306°E / -37.83778; 145.23306
Information
Type Public, Secondary
Motto Learning through Knowledge
Established 1993
Principal Johanna Walker, B.Comm.(Melb), Dip. Ed., M.Ed.
Enrolment 600[1]
Colour(s) Maroon, Navy Blue and White
              
Website Heathmont College

Heathmont College is a coeducational government secondary college located in Heathmont, Victoria. It is located between Waters Grove, Marlborough Road and Hardy Crescent. Heathmont has an outstanding reputation as an academic school within the local community.

History

Established in 1993 following the amalgamation of Eastern Secondary College and Heathmont Secondary College, the college operated as a dual campus school until it was consolidated onto the Waters Grove (Junior & Middle School) campus for the start of Term 2, 2003.[2][3]

A state funding building program commenced in 2018 with a competition size gym, Wellbeing Centre and a refurbished music centre being planned.

Composition of school

Heathmont College is divided into two sub-schools.[4] Both sub-schools are overseen by an Assistant Principal and Head of School.

Assistant Principal Senior School: Nina Ling. Assistant Principal Middle School: Daniel Webber.

Middle School

Head of School: Joanne Sayer[4]

The current Middle School incorporates all students in Year 7, 8 and Year 9. Currently, each year level has a coordinator who are responsible for ensuring the wellbeing and discipline of the students in their year level. The current coordinators are Year 7: F McNeal, D Wakefield. Year 8: M Kourhy. Year 9: L Hunter. A new Year 9 'Life' program commenced in 2017. This will focus on four key areas - Work, Body and Mind, Community Service and Leadership.[5]

The school currently focuses on ensuring that Year Seven students have a smooth transition from primary school to secondary school. There is a range of programs that the school provides Year 7 students with to participate in ranging from a camp in the first week, to great leadership opportunities and student wellbeing programs. An extensive transition program has been implemented to assist students as they move into secondary education. There is also a range of opportunities for Year Eights such as becoming members of the Student Representative Council. There are pastoral care sessions to ensure Year Eights are getting the most of their schooling.[6] In Year Nine, students are able to select from a broad range of electives. This provides students with a great range of choice and responsibility. The program goes over the course of a year and allows the students to work in a range of situations in different groups and individually. The objectives of the program are to provide students with good life skills and to have student centered learning. Even though students in 9 Life are in a non-traditional learning environment, they still study structured core subjects such as Mathematics and English.[5] While in the 9 'Life' program, students are provided with the opportunity to go into Melbourne City and participate in a wide range of activities based on what the students are currently learning in class as well as some fun and exciting activities.

Senior School

Head of School: Conor Sheehan[4]

Current coordinators are: Year 10: C Walshe Year 11: J Barton Year 12: C Peitree The College's Senior School manages all students from Year 10 to Year 12. A successful Presentation Ball program, a Central tour for Year 11 students and a Valedictory Ball are some of the functions available for students to participate in.[7]

Programs and subjects

Sport

The college offers various outdoor and indoor physical activities including: swimming and diving, athletics and cross-country skiing and competitions in badminton, basketball, netball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, cricket, football, golf, and hockey.[8]

Excel program

The Excel program has recently been introduced to the College to improve its academic outcomes. Students are selected on the basis of testing conducted at the College prior to the commencement of Year 7. This program supports and extends students in Mathematics and English through to Year 10. The recent, significant improvement in Naplan results are a result of the increase in academic rigour at the College. 2017 saw the introduction of the German CLIL program in which students study a rigorous language program which includes two subjects being taught in German as well as a German Language subject. The College benefitted from significant support from the Goethe Institute to develop this program. Year 7 students study Science and Humanities in the German Language. In 2016 a rigorous subject completion policy was introduced throughout the College.[9]

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is offered to all students in Years 11 and 12. Many VCE subjects are also offered to Year 10 students. Those Year 10 students who satisfactorily complete Units 1 and 2 in a subject are permitted to continue that study at the Unit 3 and 4 level in Year 11, alongside their Year 12 peers. This acceleration makes a significant contribution to the maximisation of their ATAR at the completion of VCE. A broad range of subjects is offered, including Chemistry, Physics, Outdoor Education, History, Global Politics, English Literature, German, Indonesian, Accounting, Methods and Specialist Mathematics, Legal Studies and Business Management. From 2014, the College saw a distinct improvement in ATAR scores obtained by students and 99% of students obtained a first round offer into such diverse fields as Law, Medicine, Environmental Engineering, Nursing, and Archaeology. The College was awarded a Premier's Award in Chemistry in 2016. In 2017, the College was once more reported as obtaining higher than expected results in the VCE in the DET generated Annual Report.

Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL)

The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) program is offered to students in Years 11 and 12 which is run via the atEast consortium which operates out of the College grounds.

LOTE

The College offers three LOTE (Languages other than English) programs, Indonesian, German and Chinese First Language - Years 11 and 12 only. Students may continue study in either language to VCE level. These studies are enhanced by the accompanying relationship with sister schools and the overseas tour program.

International program

Heathmont College became accredited to offer education to International students in 2016. An on site English Language Centre will commenced in 2017 where students are immersed in English for 6 months before joining mainstream classes. The current enrolment in this program is 50 having experienced strong demand since it began.

College Musicals

  • 2015 - Grease
  • 2016 - Suessical Jr.
  • 2017 - Annie Jr.
  • 2018 - Hairspray Jr.

Notable past/present students

References

  1. ↑ Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Website, accessed on 11 February 2010
  2. ↑ Student Handbook - Middle School (Consolidation Method), April 2003
  3. ↑ College Profile, accessed on 3 March 2009
  4. 1 2 3
  5. 1 2 "Middle School". Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  6. ↑ "Year 8". Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  7. ↑ "Senior School". Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  8. ↑ "Sport, Camps and Outdoor Education". Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  9. ↑ "Excel Program". Retrieved 23 April 2018.
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